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History of Dexter 



Prepared by 

Miss Ella J. Mower 

and the Pupils of Her School 



Dexter, Maine 

Gazette Book and Job Print 

1908 






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History of Dexter 



The tract of land now occupied by the town of Dexter 
was, until the year 1792, the home and hunting grounds of 
the Red Man and had never until then been looked upon 
by the eyes of the white man. At that time Mr. Ballard 
and Mr. Weston of Hallowell were hired by the Common- 
wealth of Massachusetts to survey a portion of that land 
belonging to it in the Province of Maine and to establish 
township lines. During that year they made a plan of 21 
townships. 

The township now called Dexter was designated on 
this plan as No. 4 in 5th Range. Two years after this 
James Bridge of Augusta purchased the township and his 
name was written across the face of H. 

in the summer of 1800 Ebenezer Small, who the year 
before had come from New Hampshire to Athens, came to 
the township, guided by spotted trees, felled the trees on a 
patch of land on the hillside and built a rude cabin near 
where Crosby & Crosby's office now stands and then went 
back to Athens and spent the winter there with his family. 

That same year John Tucker came to the township 
and made a clearing where the Marble farm is now located 
and then returned to his home. 

Samuel Elkins was sent here also by Mr. Cragie, who 
was then the owner of the township, for the purpose 
of finding a suitable place to build mills that the town- 
ship might be more desirable for settlement. He selected 
the outlet of the pond, near where Abbott's mill is now 
located, cut down tlie trees, cleared away the underbrush, 
built a camp of hemlock bark, hewed the timber for the 



mill frame and then returned to his home in Cornville 
where he soon died. A short time after this his brother 
came, completed the mill and set it in operation. From 
this time until its incorporation the township was called 
Elkinstown. 

The next spring Ebenezer Small returned to the town- 
ship on the crust, hauling Mrs. Small and a few necessary 
household goods on a handsled, and occupied the cabin he 
had built the summer before. This was the first perma- 
nent settlement in the town of Dexter. 

In 1802 a daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. Small, the 
first white child born in Dexter. Her name was Johannah. 
In the fall of that year Mr. Small built a more comfortable 
log cabin on Zion's hill west of the Bassett homestead and 
set out apple trees which was the first orchard planted in 
town. 

One day when Mr. Small was away working Mrs. 
Small visited her husband's bear traps on the south shore 
of the pond and finding a bear in one of them killed him 
with an ax with which she was armed, dragged the carcass 
home, dressed it and cooked some of the tenderest portions 
for Mr. Small's supper. 

This same year Mr. Tucker returned to the township 
with his family. 

In 1803 Seba French, William Mitchell and John Safford 
settled in the Barton district. Mr. French, for several 
weeks after coming, slept on a sled. 

In 1804 the first framed house was built on what is now 
Grove street, where the P. J. Abbott house is now located. 

It was this same year that the few settlers were 
visited by sickness and death. Two of Mr. Small's children 
and one of Mr. Tucker'i; died within two hours. Tiiey 
were buried in Mr. Tucker's field which was afterwards 
set apart for a burial place. Their rude head stones can 
now be seen, although the burial took place 104 years ago. 

A few years later Andrew Morse built a carding mill 
on Mr. Elkin's water privilege and Mr. J. C. Hill a fulling 



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mill. This mill was afterward made into a shoe factory 
and then into a planing mill and later sold to Eldridge Bros. 
who are the present owners. 

In 1811 the L of the Flynt house was built and is said 
to be the oldest building in town although some claim that 
the Bates' house is the oldest. 

On June 17, 1816 the town was incorporated under 
the name of Dexter, the name being selected in honor of 
Samuel Dexter, a well-known and respected lawyer of 
Massachusetts. 

In 1817 Jonathan Farrar came here from Bloomfield, 
as Skowhegan was then called, and purchased the first 
sawmill that was built, also the grist and carding mills, and 
a large tract of land now occupied by the village north of 
Liberty street, and east of the stream and pond. He 
opened a store in what is now the Flynt house. In 1818 the 
postoffice was established and kept by him in his store. 

He continued to do business at this place until 1835, 
when he in company with Oram McCrillis (C. P. Mc- 
Crillis' uncle), built the store now occupied by Kimball's 
variety store and moved his business to that place. 

Mr. Farrar built the canal and in 18 18 built the grist 
mill which after many improvements, is now run by S. L. 
Small. 

In 1820 Jeremiah and Amos Abbott came here on foot 
from Andover, Mass., seeking a mill privilege. They pur- 
chased of Mr. Farrar a piece of land containing several 
acres with mil! dam, water privilege, saw and carding mill. 
This was the beginning of what is now known as the Amos 
Abbott Woolen Co. 

In 1828 Mr. Farrar erected the tannery on Tannery or 
what is now called Centre street, which was first run by 
Moses Chase (Mr. G. A. Smart's grandfather), then by 
Eben Wyman (Mrs. Cbas. Sawyer's uncle), then by 
Charles Shaw and sons. 

Several years ago, this property was purchased by 



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John Morrison who erected a woolen mill on the site of the 
old tannery. 

The same year in which Mr. Farrar built the tannery, 
Lysander Cutler came here from Massachusetts, when he 
was 21 years old and worked for the Abbott Co. 

In 1834 he and Mr. Farrar erected a woolen mill where 
the Dunbarton now stands, which was destroyed by fire in 
1844 and replaced the same year by a two-story stone 
structure which gave it the title of stone mill. 

The Abbott Brothers had previously built a grist mill 
where the white mill now stands. This, in about the year 
1846, was purchased by Farrar and Cutler and remodeled 
into a woolen mill afterward known as the white mill. At 
this time Calvin Copeland built a woolen mill where Fay 
& Scott's machine shop now stands, which was afterward 
destroyed by fire. 

In 1849 the brick mill was built by Foss and Conant. 

SCHOOLS 

In 1807 the first schoolhouse was built in the district 
where Mr. Mitchell, Mr. French and Mr. Safford settled. 
In 1822 a schoolhouse was built in the village, a little south 
of Crosby's law office. 

About the year 1825 or 26 Rev. Snmuel Baker opened 
a boarding school in a two-story building located on the land 
between the house of W. H. Carr and that of Elias Mower. 
Boys and girls were admitted without tuition or pay for 
board; the boys being required to pay their way by work- 
ing on the farm connected with the school, and the girls 
by doing the housework and such sewing as could be 
obtained for them. This school was run for only three or 
four years, when the building was burned and it is said 
that a sick man in the upper story, perished in the flames. 

In 1835 a large school building was erected on Pleas- 
ant street, where the Town hall now stands. The lower 
story was used for the primary and grammar schools and 



the second floor served both for the High school and town 
meetings. 

The last town meeting held in this building was in 
March, 1856. About 300 citizens had collected there, and 
in the midst of the proceedings of the meeting, without 
warning, the floor began to settle and before any one could 
escape, it went down, — or about three-quarters of it, — 
carrying with it a large portion of the people present. 
When the weight of the heavy flooring struck the floor be- 
low that also gave way and the men with all the debris 
were carried to the cellar. 

The noise of the crash was heard by many throughout 
the village, and it was not long before the news of the 
catastrophe spread broadcast. Though there were some 
quite seriously injured, it was a marvel that there were not 
more, and that none were killed. As I remember, the 
most seriously hurt were two men named Jethro Goodwin 
and Eben Wyman, the latter being a brother of Nathan 
Wyman, who, I think, v/as moderator of the meeting. At 
any rate he was on the platform, and by his coolness and 
advice, those left upon the portion of the floor which did 
not go down, were kept from being panic-stricken. Mr. 
Cjoodwin had the misfortune to come against the stove, 
which was a big cylinder affair, and very hot at the time. 

Boys were not supposed to be in the meeting, except 
on business, and the only business there for boys, in those 
days, was the selling of pop corn, molasses candy or 
apples. Charles Bryant was always on hand as a vender 
of apples, his father owning a large orchard in the vicinity 
of where Charles Roberts' house now stands. 

Charley went down with the rest, and upon crawling 
out was heard to say, "Oh, where are my apples?" 

The loss of the building for school purposes somewhat 
upset the school affairs for a time; but other places were 
provided as best could be for the time. I recollect going to 
school in the little vestry underneath the Baptist church, 
but do not remember where olliers were located. 



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The following fall was the time of the presidential 
election when James Buchanan was elected, and the vot- 
ing was done in the Methodist church. Some of the other 
churches were brought into use for campaign purposes. \ 
recollect at one demonstration that the speaker stood in a 
window of the Universalist church, while the audience was 
partly inside and partly out. 

The relics of this old school building were bought by 
Amos Abbott & Co., and is now used by them for offices, 
etc. The exterior is very like it used to be, but the belfry 
has been removed. 

The present Town hall was then built and a new High 
school building on School street, opposite C. F. Bean's, 
which was destroyed by fire. 

The grading of the village schools was introduced by 
Lysander Cutler who took a deep interest in educational 
matters. 

The first town meeting was held in the schoolhouse 
first built. This was held August, 1816. At this meeting 
the amount raised for the support of schools was $150 and 
in 1820, $400 was raised for this purpose and $100 for de- 
fraying town charges. 

FACTS OF INTEREST 

In 1803 the township was surveyed into lots by Simeon 
Safford and in 1807 a post road was opened between Dex- 
ter and Garland. This was first traveled as a foot path, 
the travelers being guided by spotted trees. 

Very soon after a post road was opened between Ban- 
gor, Dexter and Skowhegan, which afterward became a 
government mail route. For the first ten years after the 
postoffice was established the mail was carried by post 
riders, Lawrence Green being the first to perform this hard 
service. After this a stage line was established between 
Dexter and Bangor, though the vehicles in use comprised 
almost any kind of a trap that could be brought into ser- 



vice and the same can be said of the line established 
between Dexter and Skowhegan. 

Early in the 30's John Favor purchased a modern Troy 
coach which he operated on the line between these two 
places. This met with popular favor and patronage, 
Robert Sampson and Hiram Safford attended to the trans- 
portation of freight. 

Early in the 40's a stage line was established between 
Waterville, Dexter and Monson to Moosehead Lake. All 
these lines were discontinued at the opening up of the 
railroad between Newport, Dexter and Dover. 

In 1820 Dexter had a population of 500. Many clear- 
ings had been made and Main street, with one or two 
branches, had been fairly well defined. 

Soon after this a Mr. Smith established a ferry across 
the pond where the bridge now is. In 1824 the float bridge 
was built. 

THE OLD FLOAT BRIDGE 

The present bridge across the Wassookeag, at Dexter, 
is sometimes referred to as the "float bridge, but it is as 
far as possible from that, with its thousands of tons of stone 
extending from its surface to a point below the low-water 
mark; and not only that, but many tons deposited within 
the wooden portion of the structure below, placed there to 
destroy its tendency to float during its construction. 

The appellation, "float bridge," has come down from 
the time when the real float bridge was there, some over 
forty years ago. 

This old bridge served a great many years — I cannot 
say how many — but 1 remember very distinctly how it 
looked, its peculiar features that rendered it a source of fear 
to strange horses, and the time when it v/as mysteriously 
put "out of commission." 

It was constructed of logs, heavy timber and planks, 
and was secured to the abutments at either shore, with 



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self-adjusting inclines of about tliirty-five feet, leading 
from the road level of these abutments down to the float, 
or bridge proper. 

The lower ends of these inclines rested on the float, 
and were so arranged that they allowed the bridge to rise 
and fall with the varying height of the water in the lake. 

At the foot of the inclines, where they rested upon the 
float, there was at times a space of about twenty-five feet 
covered with water, caused, no doubt, by the weight of the 
inclines upon the ends of the float. 

Strange horses used often to balk, and require time to 
examine the situation, and not infrequently a good deal of 
coaxing, before they would venture down into the water, 
especially when the high waves were dashing across the 
space. 

The adjustable arrangement, which allowed the bridge 
to rise and fall, also allowed the ends of the float to sink 
still lower when heavy teams passed over them, so that in 
turn the strange driver got something of a fright, as well as 
the horse; and it was wise for drivers of heavy teams to go 
over this space as quickly as possible, to avoid going in too 
deeply. 

1 recollect one time when there was a circus coming to 
town from Parkman, the usual interest we boys took in 
going out to meet the aggregation was augmented by a 
desire to see how the heavy teams and the elepiiants 
would succeed in crossing. The circus trains had usually 
come by the way of the Dover road, so that this was a test 
of the old bridge we had never seen. 

Well, there was a great delegation out to escort the 
show into town, and some of the boys had been boys a 
long time before. 

Some one had given the circus a tip regarding the 
bridge, so that they were very cautious, allowing only one 
team to go on at a time; but even then some of them went 
in pretty deeply and got the inside of some of the cages 
washed out. 



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The elephants were taken around the head of the lake, 
and not given an opportunity of passing judgment on the 
bridge. No doubt the proprietors of the circus knew pretty 
well what the verdict of the elephants would have been 
had they taken a look at it. 

The old bridge was a favorite fishing place "just as the 
sun went down." It was something peculiar, and a fact 
that has never been explained, that the pickerel would bite 
only about sun-down, and then only at certain points, just 
where the water deepened from the shore. Every sum- 
mer evening there would be a delegation of fishermen at 
each end of the bridge, and many good-sized pickerel were 
caught, and many much larger got off the hook, after com- 
ing to the surface long enough to furnish foundation for a 
good "fish story." 

The time came when the bridge got to be expensive 
from constant repairs, and the question of a new one was 
agitated. 

There was no question as to the need of a new bridge, 
but there was quite a diversity of opinion as to what kind 
of a structure would be best; and the discussion at the 
annual town meeting brought forth many suggestions. 
Some advocated the idea of building across at the narrows 
north of the island, where it was thought the lake would be 
shallow enough to admit of building piers. 

At an annual town meeting, Thomas Rogers, a mill- 
wright and withal a genius, presented a plan showing a 
model which he had constructed and setting forth its advan- 
tages. This model, as 1 remember it, was about three or 
four feet in length, representing the full length of the pro- 
posed bridge. 

The townspeople had great faith in Mr. Rogers' 
scheme, and at once adopted his idea as to construction. 

The following fall, some of the people in the north part 
of the town felt some uneasiness for fear the construction 
of the new bridge might be unduly delayed; but whether 
from this or some other reason, the writer cannot say,— 



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but one morning it was found that tlie old bridge had been 
disconnected at the north shore, and it was impossible for 
teams to pass over. A footwalk was made from the abut- 
ment, and the bridge made suitable for foot passengers; but 
for weeks the people had to hitch their horses to fences and 
trees along the road at the north shore, and walk into town 
and back, conveying their produce and merchandise as best 
they could. 

As soon as the lake was sufficiently frozen over to ad- 
mit of driving teams upon it, the building of the present 
bridge was begun. 

Below the low water line, it is constructed of logs, 
alternately laid lengthwise and crosswise, and pinned to- 
gether, and above that line all stone, as can be seen. 

In building, the work was begun where the water was 
deepest, some over 40 feet, and so shaped to the bottom of 
the lake, the form of which was found by careful sounding. 
At times, during the construction, it was necessary to load 
it with stone, in order to sink it at a proper level to pros- 
ecute the work. 

The old bridge was floated down, to the outlet, and 
much of it used in the construction of a building, used by 
"Ed" Fifield as a paint shop, and the platform around it. 

it was located where the carriage repository of Mr. 
Fish stood later, and from the shape and dimensions 1 am 
inclined to think it is the same building that is standing 
there today. REMINISCENT. 

RAILROADS 

The R. R. between Dexter and Newport was built in 
1868-9. It was through the efforts of the leading men of 
Dexter and Corinna that this was accomplished, f hese 
two towns loaned their credit as security for the money 
obtained to build the road. After its completion it was 
leased to the Maine Central for $18,000 a year and at the 
end of that time in 1898 they purchased the road for assum- 



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ing the debt. In 1890 this road was put through to Fox- 
croft. 



CHURCHES 

The first church edifice in town was that built by the 
Universalists in 1829 on a lot given them by Jonathan 
Farrar. 

in 1834 the Methodists and Baptists built a Union 
church which soon after became the property of the Meth- 
odists. 

The Baptist church was erected in 1839 and in 1846 
the Congregationalist chapel was built. 

PHYSICIANS 

Benjamin Clement was the first physician to come to 
Dexter. He came in 1816. Two years later Dr. G. M. 
Burleigh came and was one of the prominent citizens at 
that time. 

HOTELS 

In 1820 the first hotel was opened by Benjamin Green 
on the site where Charles Hutchinson's residence is 
located. It was called Green's inn. Four years later John 
Bates opened a public house on Main strest, a little below 
Hutchinson & Gates' furniture store. This building is still 
standing. Ten years later /V.r, Davis opened a hotel on 
Main street, where the Dustin block now stands. This was 
for a long time run by Jonas Wheeler who in 1843 built 
and run the Dexter House also on Main street. This a 
short lime ago was sold to Mr. Waldron and moved away 
to liive place for the erection of the Waterville Trust bank. 

The Exchange was built by Loring Hayes in 1866, the 
land being purchased of Augustus French who kept a dry 
goods store where E. G. Ayer is now located. 



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NEWSPAPERS 

The first newspaper was published here in about the 
year 1850 and was called the "Isonomy." This was 5x6 
inches, four page paper and was published by Elder With- 
erell. He later published "The Gem." In about the year 
1862 the Gazette was published. 

A sheet called "The Neighbor" was issued bi-monthly 
sometime between 1850 and '52 published by "Black and 
White." Four to six copies were issued in manuscript, and 
addressed by mail to the business men on the street, each 
issue to different ones. The publishers (W. G. Cutler and 
C. W. Curtis) were careful not to be known as such. This 
sheet continued about three months. A little before its 
discontinuance another sheet was issued of a similar 
character, named "The Mince Pie," which made but a few 
appearances. Not long after a third sheet appeared styled 
"The Hornet," which had a short existence, its personals 
having too sharp a sting for general approval. None of the 
authors of these papers were generally known. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 

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